Apple has been has been in negotiations with TV networks and studios for several years in an attempt to bring a streaming TV service to market, multiple rumors would have us believe. However, those negotiations have not resulted in a product launch or announcement. Meanwhile, Apple has announced some new features for its eight-month-old 4th generation Apple TV.

Twitter is the surprise winner of the rights to stream 10 Thursday Night NFL football games this fall (NFL press release). Initially, I was surprised Amazon, Verizon, or Yahoo didn’t win, especially after it was reported they offered more. But the more I think about it, the more sense it makes.

I decided to retire my 5-year old MacBook Pro and replace it with the new 9.7" iPad Pro rather than another laptop. This decision isn't about form factor, touchscreen vs keyboard & mouse, or being more mobile. It is about embracing what I believe is the future of personal computing.

I find myself increasingly relying on native apps on my smartphone, but preferring to use websites on my laptop. This is true even for services with apps available on both devices, such as Spotify and maps. In fact, I only regularly use one app on my personal MacBook other than a web browser and Apple's built-in apps - Evernote. I do use more apps on my work MacBook, but mostly just Office.

Live Photos is one of the more interesting and discussed features of the iPhone 6s. It makes me wonder if it’s only a matter of time before all photos are automatically sandwiched with high definition video. If the processing power is there to do it for photos, why not with audio and Siri?

If you are in the market for productivity software, cloud storage, or both it's time to give Microsoft another look. Microsoft's OneDrive offers 1TB of storage for $7/month, while competitors Dropbox, Google Drive, and Apple's iCloud all cost $10. However, Microsoft's 1TB plan also includes access to Office 365. This is a great deal for great productivity software and cloud storage that the competition simply cannot match.

Apple made several announcements last week, including new iPhones, iPads, and an Apple TV. In the process, they revealed a number of small decisions they've made but decisions that I find telling about their product lines and thinking.

Earlier this summer I spent a few weeks in mainland China on a business trip. I used my iPhone 6 to communicate with local colleagues and people back home. In China, the iPhone has several advantages over an Android phone (at least the version of Android with Google Play that we're used to in the US). Here are a few of my quick thoughts and observations on the iPhone in China.

Amazon has bundled several digital services into Amazon Prime - video streaming, music streaming, the Kindle lending library, and unlimited cloud photo storage. I've thought Apple could do the same for a while now, and Apple Music would make a nice pillar. Apple could bundle Music, iTunes Match (also Music should make it obsolete), iCloud storage, monthly iTunes/App Store credits or giveaways, and maybe even Apple Care. This could be a nice product for big Apple users, and perhaps silence some of the critics calling for Apple to reduce iCloud storage pricing.

ReCode is reporting Apple wants to include live local broadcasts as part of its streaming TV service:

Industry executives familiar with Apple’s plans say the company wants to provide customers in cities around the U.S. with programming from their local broadcast stations. That would distinguish Apple’s planned offering from those already available from Sony and Dish’s Sling, which to date have only offered local programming in a handful of cities, or none at all.